1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus for accessing another apparatus and a method therefor, and a memory medium in which such a program is stored.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, a host information processing apparatus performs the functions, for example, of transmitting instructions, and of performing setups for and exercising control of peripheral devices.
However, an instruction from an external device to a specific device must be handled by processing that differs from that employed for an instruction originating in the operating system of that device.
And in addition, assuming that a specific device could be logged in via another device that was logged in previously, the logging out process would be complicated.
It is, therefore, one objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus that can handle an instruction received from an external device using the same processing as is employed for an instruction originating in the operating system of the apparatus, and a method therefor.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus that facilitates the execution of a process by another apparatus and that can employ target information stored in another apparatus, and a method therefor.
It is an additional objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus that can log in at a specific apparatus via another apparatus that is currently logged in and that can easily and appropriately log out of all apparatuses at which logged in, and a method therefor.
According to one aspect, the present invention that achieves these objectives relates to an information processing apparatus, comprising:
designation means for designating a device to be accessed;
downloading means for accessing the device designated by the designation means and for downloading an operation screen;
display means for displaying the operation screen;
input means for receiving information from a user; and
transmission means for transmitting to the designated device, as operating information for the operation screen, the information that is entered by the input means while the operation screen is displayed.
According to another aspect, the present invention that achieves these objectives relates to an information processing apparatus, comprising:
designation means for designating a device to be accessed;
login means for accessing the device designated by the designation means and for logging in the device;
registration means for registering in a device list the identifier of the device that is logged in by the login means;
instruction means for instructing login; and
logout means for, when logout is instructed by the instruction means, logging out of a device having an identifier that is registered in the device list.
According to an additional aspect, the present invention that achieves these objectives relates to an information processing method, comprising:
a designation step of designating a device to be accessed;
a downloading step of accessing the device designated at the designation step and of downloading an operation screen;
a display step of displaying the operation screen;
an input step of receiving information from a user; and
a transmission step of transmitting to the designated device, as operating information for the operation screen, the information that is entered at the input step while the operation screen is displayed.
According to a still further aspect, the present invention that achieves these objectives relates to an information processing method, comprising:
a designation step of designating a device to be accessed;
a login step of accessing the device designated at the designation step and of logging in the device;
a registration step of registering in a device list the identifier of the device that is logged in at the login step;
an instruction step of instructing login; and
a logout step of, when logout is instructed at the instruction step, logging out of a device having an identifier that is registered in the device list.
According to one further aspect, the present invention which achieves these objectives relates to a memory medium on which is stored a program, comprising:
a designation step of designating a device to be accessed;
a downloading step of accessing the device designated at the designation step and of downloading an operation screen;
an input step of receiving information from a user; and
a transmission step of transmitting to the designated device, as operating information for the operation screen, the information that is entered at the input step while the operation screen is displayed.
According to yet another aspect, the present invention that achieves these objectives relates to a memory medium on which is stored a program, comprising:
a designation step of designating a device to be accessed;
a login step of accessing the device designated at the designation step and of logging in the device;
a registration step of registering in a device list the identifier of the device that is logged in at the login step;
an instruction step of instructing login; and
a logout step of, when logout is instructed at the instruction step, logging out of a device having an identifier that is registered in the device list.